Tehran -- Millions of Iranians have taken to the streets across the nation in protest of the government declared victory of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by a 2 to 1 margin over popular reform candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.     Supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi have declared that the election results were rigged, crushing a potential blow to the future of democray Iran.   This victory claim by hardline Ahmadinejad also puts any chances of Iranian-Western reconcilliation on the backburner for ateleast four more years if the results of the election prove to be final.

However, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the nation today, has called called for a high-level inquiry into accusations of election irregularities.   The outcome of the election is not predicted to change however and the effects of these inquiries are uncertain.

What is certain is that all over Iran, hundreds of thousands pro-Mousavi protesters clashed with police, in many situations, overpowering and defeating the imposed police crackdown across the nation.  Ahmadinejad’s regime has attempted to silence the uprising by shutting down internet websites, cell phone service and confiscating memory cards, cameras and video equipment from people filming in the street, however many people were able to upload videos to the popular video sharing website, YouTube. 

In the above video, Iran’s riot police are overwhelmed by thousands of protesters and police brutality leads to the beatings of several riot police.

Riot police in Iran retreat from angry protesters as their positions are over run.

Tens of thousands of protesters take to the streets.

While the government of Iran attempts to limit the flow of information, blocking western journalists, the internet, cell phone usage and violently cracking down on the uprising, the protests show no sign of easing.  In fact, they have become more violent.   Will these protests lead to an eventual civil war in Iran?